Re: [Harp-L] Re: Cables: Are there really any sonic differences?

[MARK BURNESS <markwjburness@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Garry,

2 points that I specifically take issue with. 

Science - you offer no scientific data, test, results to prove/disprove your 
assertions. You claim not to care about the results of any tests, tests that you 
have not even conducted. You offer only perspective based on suggestion & 
hearsay, yet you clearly have already adopted a position on the subject. This is 
not science, you are not being scientific.

Measurement - there are many clearly measurable aspects to a cable, with a 
reasonable MM you can measure the cable's self capacitance, you can measure the 
plug's self capacitance, with a tape measure you can measure it's length, with a 
ruler you can measure the thickness of the dielectric, with your eyes, fingers & 
toes you can count the number of strands of the conductors/shielding & whether 
that shielding is spiral or braided, with a micrometer/vernier calipers you can 
measure the thickness of the wire in these applications, with your fingers you 
can easily asses the rigidity & feel of the dialectric, you could probably 
measure AC voltage at the amp end...but as someone who has tested many cables, 
this step has never proved necessary.

Do you need a mass spectrometer to tell you which flavour ice cream you prefer, 
or your preferred brand of beer? When asked how you like your food, what 
parameters do you measure & what equipment do you use & take to a restaurant 
with you? I guess that you forego the "scientific proof" and use your 
senses...like a  professional chef, whisky bender, flavour house, etc. 


I'm not trying to sell you anything, I pay the same price as anyone else on 
anything that I test, I have no preconcieved agenda regarding rep/price, I don't 
subconciously need anything to meet a standard of performance, based on my 
desires/investment, the main reason I would expect you to give me the benefit of 
the doubt is because I have conducted some testing (cables, amps, tubes, 
speakers, harps) probably everyday for the last decade...you appear to have just 
typed a mail & declare no interest in the subject. Take it with a pinch of salt 
by all means, agreed environment & application are variables, but if you need 
more stringent tests & data, do something about it, rather than pontificate from 
the sidelines.

I am involved in sensory testing & new product development in every day of 
my professional life.




________________________________
From: Garry Hodgson <harp@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, 3 March, 2011 14:22:40
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Cables: Are there really any sonic differences?

On 03/03/2011 04:31 AM, MARK BURNESS wrote:
> Garry, music is assessed with human ears, if you don't trust them, then it's 
>time to hang up the harps.
if i swore to you that based on my own listening tests, red cables sounded 
better
than black ones, and blue ones made your harp sound more jazzy, you mght be
inclined to disbelieve me.  especially if i offered no supporting evidence but 
my
subjective evaluation.  ears are pretty good devices, but they get filtered 
through
minds and brains, and people are pretty good at seeing and hearing things that
aren't there, by design (witness many well known optical and aural illusions).

the green magic marker thing i mentioned earlier in this thread consumed vast
amounts of postings, discussions, arguments on rec.audio back in the early days
of the net.  as did the old monster cable vs. speaker wire thing.

i don't know if cables make a difference.  i don't really care all that much.
i suspect that any differences in sound so subtle that they cannot be measured
are likely to be lost amidst the thumping bass, pounding drum kit, and screaming
guitars sharing the stage with our harps.

but purveyors of snake oil all make the same claims.  "this is beyond 
measurement,
but trust me, it's real", and "science does not apply here."  that's when i call 
BS.
even if i trust my own ears, i have no means of evaluating whether to trust 
yours.
that's why science was invented.